Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Severely burned patients occasionally suffer intestinal ischemia leading to a fatal outcome, and the gut is considered a "motor" driving the development of multiple organ failure. However, in clinical settings, it has been difficult to assess acute intestinal damage following burn and its consequence to patient outcome. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) is a known biomarker for diagnosing intestinal ischemia/damage. This study aimed to assess the extent of intestinal damage using serial I-FABP measurements following severe burn and to clarify the association between intestinal damage and the development of organ dysfunctions. ⋯ Serum level of I-FABP on admission day does not correlate with burn size, but with the deep burn area. The gut might be a crucial target organ following severe burn, and gut damage could have an important role in the development of multiple organ dysfunction.
-
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen that can result in substantial morbidity and mortality. Early detection of MRSA colonization by screening nasal swabs may be important in the management of burn-injured patients. However, studies examining its use in this population are limited. The aim of this study was to study the utility of admission MRSA screening nasal swabs and determine if being positive for MRSA on admission impacted outcomes. ⋯ Burn patients who screened positive for MRSA had greater lengths of stay, more surgical procedures, and higher wound complications. Early identification of MRSA colonized patients in this patient population might allow for treatment modifications that improve outcomes. Further study is warranted in a prospective clinical trial.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
EHTIC study: Evaluation of a new hemostatic agent based on tissue factor in skin grafting procedures.
Excessive bleeding is a major concern in scar debridement and grafting procedures. TT-173 is a new topical hemostatic agent based on recombinant human tissue factor that has shown promising results in patients who underwent tooth extraction. EHTIC study sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TT-173 to reduce the bleeding in donor sites of skin grafting procedures. ⋯ The new hemostatic agent TT-173 has proven efficacious and safe to reduce the bleeding from donor site. This study paves the way for further investigation of the product as topical hemostatic treatment in plastic surgery and other surgical indications.
-
The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a universal classification system of health and health-related domains. The ICF has been successfully applied to a wide range of health conditions and diseases; however, its application in the field of burn recovery has been minimal. ⋯ Of the studies conducted, few examined the same subtopics or used similar measurements. This suggests a need for more robust studies in this area in order to inform and improve burn rehabilitation practices to meet the potential needs of burn patients beyond an acute care setting.
-
Since the introduction of e-cigarettes to the UK market in 2007 their popularity amongst young adults has significantly increased. These lithium-ion powered devices remain unregulated by the Standards Agency and as a result burns centres across the world have seen an increasing number of patients presenting with significant burns, resulting from poor quality batteries that appear to be liable to explode when over-heated, over-charged or incorrectly stored. ⋯ The import and sale of e-cigarettes remains unrestricted. This increases the risk of devices being available in the UK market that do not meet the British Standard Specification, potentially increasing their risk of causing fire and exploding. Consumers should be made aware of this risk, and advised of adequate charging and storage procedures. In case lithium ion compounds leak following a breach in the battery, first aid with mineral oil use is advocated to avoid a further chemical reaction.